History of the Light Bulb

There are many things in today’s modern world that we tend to take for granted. Take running water and vehicles for just a couple of examples. When you walk into a room, you automatically flip the light switch to ON, and voila! The lights come on in the room. But what is the history of the light bulb and how did it begin? The answer to this question is somewhat debatable. Great Britain claims responsibility for the invention of this marvel, while here in the United States, we claim the birthright. Thomas Edison has been largely credited for its invention, and was the first person responsible for marketing the light bulb for mass consumption. But there is more to the history of the light bulb than just its inventor. The first light bulbs were filled with things like platinum and charcoal. When this material was in contact with an electric current, the material glowed, resulting in artificial light. As time went on, the history of the light bulb evolved, and it had a much greater impact on society than anyone at the time probably realized.

Eventually, the American dream of free commerce took hold, and companies began wanting to manufacture the light bulb for everyone to use. General Electric (now more commonly known as simply GE) was the first company to mass produce the material tungsten, which was used in some of the first light bulbs. This all took place in the very early 1900’s, and several years later an even safer version of tungsten filament was developed. This meant that light bulbs were quickly spreading across the country as a standard means of light. Less candlelight was used, and more people were able to read or spend time with loved ones more comfortably in their homes and businesses. The history of the light bulb shows that mankind can come up with a solution to just about any problem that it faces.